


Two Sides Of The Same Coin

by MaryMary25



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crossover, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-03 04:12:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17276864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryMary25/pseuds/MaryMary25
Summary: 55... 56... 57... 58...Ahhh...,Amy screams. Another contraction is hitting her.That's 7 minutes. Here we go. I'm gonna call the doctor,Jake says, heading to the door...





	Two Sides Of The Same Coin

**Author's Note:**

> Basically a Caryl/Peraltiago crossover. Enjoy!

_55... 56... 57... 58..._

_Ahhh..._ ,Amy screams. Another contraction is hitting her.

_That's 7 minutes. Here we go. I'm gonna call the doctor_ ,Jake says, heading to the door.

_No, Jake, wait_ ,Amy's weak voice stopping him. _The doctor said every 5 to 7 minutes. I think we should try to make it till 5._

_What?_ ,Jake says, almost screaming. _Come on, Ames. Think of what can go wrong, if you don't go into labor when you're supposed to. What if the baby stays there longer than it's necessary? Or if it doesn't get the proper amount of oxygen? Or if..._ he could continue like this forever...

_Please, stop freaking out. You're making me nervous and that doesn't help anyone._ ,Amy interrupts him, her voice stronger than before, as the pain is fading away.

_Of course I'm gonna freak out! You're gonna go to give birth and I'll sit here all alone, not having a clue of what's happening to you... Do you know how difficult births are for the fathers, Ames?_

Amy opens her mouth, but it closes it, as soon as, she realizes that there is nothing she could answer to that. Even now, after years of knowing him, Jake still manages to leave her speechless sometimes.   
_You know what? We are running out of ice cubes. Why don't you go to bring me some?_ ,Amy finally says. _And babe? Try to calm down, okay? Everything is fine. Just breath_ ,she continues, as she sees him standing there, looking at her with eyes full of worry. 

Jake takes two deep breaths. _Fine. Promise me you won't go anywhere while I won't be here._  
 _I promise. I love you_ ,Amy says, her eyes softening. 

_I love you, too_ ,Jake responds immediately. They are staring in each others eyes for a couple of seconds, then Jake nods and after placing a gentle kiss in her forehead, he leaves.

As she was looking around the room, her eyes stops in the couple, they had to share the room with. _Oh, God_ ,she thinks. They have to be the worst roomates ever, thanks to Jake's freak out. She realizes that she has to apologize to them.

_I'm sorry for this. It's our first and my husband is a little freaked out._

_A little?_ ,Daryl is about to say, but then he feels Carol's fingers squeezing his, a sign for him to stop talking.

_Oh, no need to apologize. It's okay. It's totally understandable_ ,Carol says with a smile on her face.

Daryl admires his wife. Always so kind and thoughtful and, instead of him, she always knows what's the right thing to say. So, he decides to follow her example and smile to the woman in the next bed, as well.  
 _Is it your first child, too?_ ,Amy says, deciding to continue the conversation, as she feels her panick taking over her and if she doesn't do anything to keep her mind focus on something else, soon she will start obsessively braiding her hair and that's a spectacle no one has asked for.

_No, we already have a daughter, Sophia. She's five_ ,Carol says, _She's so excited about her new sister. She can't stop talking about it. She has even make space in her room and has decided which of her toys are appropriate for the baby_ ,she continues, her smile becoming bigger. Beside her Daryl's face softens too, in the reminding of his perfect, little girl.

_I'm Carol by the way. This is Daryl_ ,Carol continues.

_It’s nice to meet you. I'm Amy_ ,Amy says smiling, sensing that she finally managed to relax a little.

***

2 hours later

 

His feet is nervously tapping on the floor and his heart is about to get out of his chest. It's been 45 minutes, since they took Amy. They were supposed to call him to join them, as soon as she was ready to start pushing, but still nothing. Every possible scenario, on what's might be wrong has crossed his mind over the past half hour.

_You should go and talk to him_ ,Carol whispers to Daryl.

_What?_ ,Daryl asks, clearly surprised by her request. _You know I'm not good at this. I don't know what to say_ ,Daryl says, trying to avoid a probable awkward conversation with a person, he barely knows.

_Oh, come on! Just go over there and tell him that everything will be fine._

He looks at her in his last attempt to make her change her mind, though he's sure that she won't fall for it.

He loves everything about his wife. She is kind and sweet. Full of patience and understanding. Her inevitable need of helping everyone, tough, was the thing he loves less about her.

As he was expecting, she gave him a bold look, mouthing _go_.

With a quick nod, he starts heading towards Jake, still unsure of what he would say to him.

He approaches him and sits next to him. _Hey. Umm... You don't need to be nervous. Your woman is gonna be okay_ ,Daryl says, not sure if this is the right thing. He's so bad at this. Better than he used to be, before he meet Carol and Sophia, but his communication skills is still a work in progress.

_No one has come to inform me, from the moment they took her in. It supposed to be just a preparation for the labor... Something bad has happened. I'm sure of it. Oh, God..._ ,Jake says, clearly the panic is taking over him.

_They are stronger than us_ ,Daryl says, his eyes traveling to Carol, who is sitting in the bed across the room, trying to count how far apart her contractions are. If he knows one thing for sure that's that his wife is the strongest woman he has ever seen in his entire life. Escaping from an abusive husband, taking her life in her hands and raising a child alone is more than he would have the courage to do.   
_Your wife is a cop, right?_ Jake nods. _So, she's tough. You have nothing to worry about_ ,Daryl is sure that if Amy is the slightest of how strong Carol is, then, he doesn't need to be afraid.  
Jake expression immediately softens. Amy is the toughest person he has ever met. The awesomest, too. He laughs a little as he is imagining her correcting him. _Jake, that's not even a word_ , she would probably say.

_Yeah, she is_ ,he finally says and for the first time in what it seems like centuries he feels relaxed...

***

_And that's how I moved in to Amy's apartment. Crazy right?_ ,Jake says, as he finishes telling him about his second bet with Amy.

Daryl nods, not knowing how he ended up having Jake talking about his relationship with Amy and his colleagues, which apparently can't be there, as Jake and Amy had recently moved in there, cause of Amy's promotion.

One thing he knows is that his help wasn't enough to calm him. If it did, he wouldn't end up talking endlessly.

As he is about to try to escape this conversation -for the fourth time- the door opens and a nurse appears.

_Mr. Peralta, your wife is in the final straight and everything is fine. Follow me, please._

Jake stands up, as fast as he can, and he's about to leave, when he turns back. _Thank you_ ,he says to Daryl and before he has the chance to respond he leaves.

As they've been alone, Daryl approaches Carol's bed. _How are you doing?_ ,he asks her softly.

_I'm okay. You don't have to worry_ ,she replies. _It wan't that difficult, was it?_ ,she continues, clearly referring to his and Jake's talk.

_I suppose it wasn't_ ,he says, kissing her hair and caressing her baby bump gently. _But he just couldn't stop talking... I already have Glenn, I don't want another one chit-chatting guy._

_Oh, come on_ ,Carol says, _I know for fact that you feel better that you helped him._

Daryl wants to say her that she can't be more wrong about her assumption, but he can't. _Damn it_ ,he thinks, _I can't hide from her, she knows me so well._   
Before meets her, he was as close as an oyster, not wanting to open up to anyone. As a child, he had learned that in order to bare what he was been through he had to bury his emotions deep, not let them taking over him. Feelings were a weakness, a distraction and he had to be strong enough to survive his childhood. 

Anyway, what was the point of being kind or helpful to people? None had showed him kindness. Not even his father, or his brother. Maybe he was the problem, after all. Maybe he wasn't good enough for them to love him. No matter how hard he tried to copy their behavior, he never managed to gain their approval.

Carol was the first person, who looked behind the walls he had to pick up. The only person that didn't judge him by his physical appearance, but looked through him, making him believe that he wasn't a burned case. That he was worth being loved and what truly love looked like, just giving without wanting something in return. That he was able to love back, thankfully not being that damaged as he used to think. More than that, she made him a better person, more and more with every passing day. And for that he will be grateful for having her in his life, even if he still isn't sure of what he had done to deserve her.

***

_Are you sure you're comfortable?_ ,Jake asks.

_Yeah. Come on, sit down._ ,Amy tells extending her hand for Jake to grab it. He does and he sits beside her.

Everything went great and several hours ago their daughter came into this world. Healthy and beautiful and perfect, as Jake describes her to everyone who has met over the past few hours. Now, they are sitting together waiting for the nurse to bring her to them. Any minute now.

_How are you feeling?_ ,Jake asks.

_Exhausted, but really happy. And you seem slightly relaxed. Not at all like you seemed to be before_ ,she points out.

_What?_ ,Jake hisses. _That's insane. I was like... Dalai Lama. Super chill. I even made a new friend, while you were giving birth and had left me all by myself_ ,Jake adds, excited to share the news with her.

Amy decides not to comment his words. _What? Who?_ ,she asks, not knowing why she's so surprised. He manages to make friends wherever they go.

_You remember that couple? The lady with the cool hair and the "Sons of Anarchy" guy?_

_"Sons of Anarchy" guy?_ ,Amy asks with a smile in her face. Jake's so relaxed that managed to make a TV show reference. She loves when he does that. Especially if it's not a "Die Hard" one.

_Yeah, you know, that show with that group full of guys who ride motorcycles, wearing leather vests and run a car service store, but they secretly selling guns and drugs... And the craziest thing is that Daryl has all of these... Except for the whole illegal trade, of course_ ,Jake says, but then he suddenly stops talking _Oh my God, what if he actually selling guns and drugs? Do you think it's possible? Should I ask him about it?_

_Nooo..._ ,he isn't done talking when Amy starts nodding negatively, wanting to make him understand how ridiculous what he had just suggested is.

_You are probably right. I mean, what if he say yes? Then I'll have to arrest him in front of his para wife and that it'll be super awkward. I'll just wait a couple of days._

_You do that_ ,Amy says, the irony visible in her voice.

_Any who... I was just sitting there and he came and started talking to me. I suppose it's because he was so freaked out and he wanted to know how I was managed to be so chill_ ,Jake says, the pride is clearly in his voice.

_Yeah, I'm not buying that._

_No_ ,Jake finally admits.

Just as he's about to say something the door opens. He looks at the door ans his face lights up. 

Daryl's face, on the other hand, was the exact opposite.

_Yeah! Recovery room ROOMIES_ ,Jake screams, unable to hide his excitement anymore...

***

Amy is relaxing reading her favorite book. Jake isn't there. He is in the incubator room, not being able to be apart of his daughter longer than a few minutes. Despite she would never admit that, she was glad that she finally had time for herself. She loves the fact that Jake has always something to discuss, but he also drives her crazy sometimes.

On the next bed, Carol is also alone, as Daryl is outside of the room to check on Sophia, searching in the bag he had brought her, before he leaves, to find if everything she had ask him to bring her, is there.

As she is searching a smile is forming in her face, finding the only thing she hadn't ask him for. It's a tub full of chocolate cookies she had cooked a few days before goes to the hospital. She's surprised that they last that long. Usually, Daryl and Sophia aren't able to hold back themselves, ending up to eat way more cookies of the required daily quantity.

_Do you want some?_ ,Carol says, extending the tub to Amy's direction.

Amy is about to reach her hand and take one, when suddenly she stops. _Wait a minute... Where is the catch? Are those cookies made by camel meat?_ ,she asks, Charles's Turkey-Mexican crossover cookies still visible in her mind. Not even her couldn't eat those. And she could eat pretty much everything during her pregnancy. But, apparently, Charles taste was way more weird than hers.

_Oh, no. Are just chocolate-peanut butter cookies_ ,Carol explains and with that Amy nods, accepting her kind offer, when her phone starts ringing.

_Excuse me_ ,Amy says, answering the phone. _Hello? Oh, Sergeant Pearson, what do you want?_ ,she asks, listening carefully what he has to say to her, and between pauses telling him _I told you that I have already signed whatever I had, before I leave for my maternity leave... Yeah, I have already filed those cases... No, just try not to mess my office, please... Okay, thank you for informing me about it, now return to your work_ ,and with that she hangs up the phone and lifts her eyes to see Carol. She suddenly feels the need to apologize.

_I'm sorry. You probably think that I'm a monster, talking about work, only a couple of days after giving birth. It's just... I just became a Captain, a few months ago, and I still haven't managed to organize my Precinct the way I want to. There are still many things to do, such as... Oh, my God, I'm doing it again, am I? I'm sorry..._

_Hey_ ,Carols stops her, _You don't have to feel bad because you love your job. This doesn't makes you less of a good mum._

Amy nods, adding _You're right, but I'm still trying to find the balance between being a wife, a female Captain and now a mother, too._

She hasn't have to say anything more to convince Carol. She knows from the first hand how difficult it is to be a mother, while having a full time job and the guilt that follows this. Ed had made her believe that in order to be a good wife and a good mother she had to be just that, making her feel guilty everytime she asked to do something for herself. And when she was finally free from him, it took her a while to be truly free. She started working, only to be able to provide Sophia what she needed and when she found out that she might enjoying having a job, being financially independent and having something else to look up for, except for her household and her child's breeding, her remorse grew. She might be free from Ed, but she couldn't make her inner demons hush. His voice was still echoeing in her head, making her feel a bad mother for wanting to do something for herself. 

_I know what you mean. I'm trying to deal with this feeling for years. There is no reason to feel bad, because you want to have your personal goals. About a year ago, I decided to take a few college classes. I know I'll have to slow this down for a while, but I'm excited to continue_ ,Carol confesses, silently thanking Daryl for being so supportive to her and for making her understand that her personal dreams are still valid.

_That's awesome_ ,Amy says, happy that she found a woman, who has the same concerns as she does.

***

He didn't know how much time he was sitting there, looking at his newborn daughter through the glass. Over the past nine months he had read as many prengancy books as he could. He had watched so many labor videos, that he may had traumatized himself. He had kept Amy awake for so many nights, asking her things about the baby and informing her about what's new he had read. And he was sure that, at some point Terry had started avoiding him, not being able to stand his endless questions about parenting.

But, no matter how hard he had tried, how hard he had prepared himself for this, it wasn't enough. This feeling hadn't left him, not even for a second and now it is also here, stronger than ever. He never had a father role model in his life, so, how he will be a good father for his kid? He doesn't have a clue how to do that. 

While he was lost in his thoughts and worries, he heard steps approaching him. When he lifted his head to see Daryl.

_Hey_ ,he says and turned his gaze back to the tiny human he had created. On any other day he would immediately had started a conversation, as he knows how chatty he is. But not now.

_Hey_ ,Daryl responses, sitting in the chair next to him.

They stay like this for a couple of minutes, both lost in their thoughts. Suddenly, all this silence becomes unbareble for Jake. 

_They seem so fragile, so vulnerable_ ,Jake says, not able to lift his eyes from his daughter.

_They really are_ ,Daryl agrees.

_How am I supposed to protect her? It's the only thing I can't fail and I've pretty much failed in everything else in my life_ ,Jake continues and Daryl understands that he may not has noticed that he isn't alone. It seems like he's addressing to himself. _I don't know how to raise a daughter..._ ,Jake says. Then stops talking for a few seconds, before he starts again _Not that I have a clue of how raising a son._

Daryl knows what he means. He had the same thoughts, the same concerns, as long as he met Sophia.

_It's not like I had a decent father role model in my life_ ,Jake says, making Daryl understand where all these thoughts came from. After all, he could said the exact same thing about his father.

_Bad childhood?_ ,Daryl asks.

_Yeah. My father left both me and my mother when I was 11. I mean, can you imagine something worse for a kid?_ ,Jake says.

The irony of this sentence hits Daryl and he doesn't know what to answer to that. He knows better than anyone how difficult a childhood can be.

_The thing is no matter how hard I try I can't stop thinking that I'll never be good enough for her. That for some, unknown reason, I'll screw this up_ ,Jake confesses.

Daryl remembers the nights he spent awake in his bed, thinking the same thing, as Jake is thinking right now. He knew, from the beginning of their acquaintanship that it wouldn't been easy. They were both carring a lot of emotional baggage, lots of sorrows and shadows from the past. But, even though it took them an amount of time to open up to one another, to share the weight they had on their shoulders, they were able to see through the mask they had decided to put on, in order to prevent theirselves from hurting. Maybe it was the fact that the two of them were abusive victims that made them to communicate without words to be required, allowing them to take their time, not pressing each other to do or say things no one was ready for. 

Whilst, he knew that it would take time and effort to make this relationship work, he was willing to do whatever it was necessary not to fuck this up, because for the first time in his miserable life, he had find something which was worth the try.

_There were moments in the past, that I was forced to leave and Amy had to be alone, trying to bring me back. I can't... I can't even bare the thought that something similar to this will happen again. Then I'll have to leave my kid, both of them... Just like my father did_ ,Jake says, more like as a monologue addressing to himself, than a sentence which was requiring an answer.

_I know what you mean_ ,Daryl says.

_You do?_ ,Jake asks. clearly relieved that there is one person he can feel him. _Did your father leave you, too?_

_Let's just say that he wasn't "The father of the year", either_ ,Daryl responds, not ready to share all the painful details with him.

_But, as it turns out, everything worked out for you_ ,Jake says and when he sees Daryl's confused face, he adds _Your little girl. She clearly adores you._

_Yeah_ ,Daryl says, a shy smile forming in his face, as he talks about his daughter. _But it wasn't easy in the beginning. For the three of us to become a family._

When Jake looks him with confussion, he continues _Sophia isn't..._ ,he starts explaining, trying to find the proper words, _I mean... she is mine... but no biologically._

_Ohhh_ , it's the only thing Jake says.

Daryl nods. _I raise her, since she was two._

_What about her..._ ,Jake tries to find the proper word, since he knows, from the first hand, that the word "father" can't be used for people that they haven't earned this title.

_Out of picture_ ,Daryl says, becoming aware of what Jake is trying to ask. _Thank God for that_ ,he adds silently. He can't be more happy about the fact that Sophia didn't have to go through what he had to, in his childhood. He couldn't thank Carol enough for finding the strength to escape of this toxic, abusive enviroment, where both his girls were living till then. He always admired her for her bravery to take Sophia away from Ed, while she was still an infant and she wouldn't have memories of him, or have to suffer the same pain as Carol and he had. 

_I see_ ,Jake says, understanding that this is probably a sensetive theme and not wanting to pressure Daryl to say more than he is willing to.

_The thing is..._ ,Jake starts saying again, _That Amy is the best partner, wife, best friend I could ask for. She's the best thing that has ever happened to me. She's just awesome at so many things. And I know for fact that she's gonna be an amazing mother. She already is. And she deserves everything. Both her and our baby... What if I'm bad? I just don't want to... I can't let them down._

_I know how it is to have those thoughts and I can't tell you that you'll wake up some day and they'll be gone. Hell... I've been trying for years to shut down my insecurities and my fears and I'm still failing at it_ ,Daryl says, remembering how many hours he has spent thinking that this is the only thing he can't be bad at. Carol had trusted him after all she had been through. More than that, she had trusted him with her daughter's life and Daryl knew how courage must've costed her to do that. He also knew, that Sophia deserved to have a better life than his... No, she desrved to have the best life, period. Carol, as well. And for some reason, he still hasn't understand, why they chose him to be the person, with whom they wanted to spend their life with. So, the only thing he had to do, since they trusted him so much, was not to dissapoint them.

_When those thoughts are about to consume you_ ,Daryl continued, _You just have to remind yourself why you're doing this... You said that your wife is the best thing has ever happened to you_ ,Jake nods, _Carol and Sophia are... the only good thing in my life. Before I meet them, my life was... awful. I was just trying to get away from everyone. Get away from my... father, my brother. From the pain I was feeling... Just get away from everything_ ,Daryl stops for a few seconds, trying to compose himself. He isn't talking about those things with any other than Carol. But he's glad he's opening up to Jake. He's one of the few people, he can totally understand what he's feeling.

_And then I met them and suddenly, for the first time in my life, I didn't want to get away anymore. Not from them. And if that meant that I had to stop getting away from my emotions and try to deal with my issues and my fears, then I was willing to take that deal... Because they are worth the best me I can give them. And I know that you're already trying your best._

_What if my best isn't enough?_ ,Jake asks, slightly calmer than before, but still not able to make his mind to shup up.

_Then you try harder. You already have come this far and I know how much must've costed you to puss aside your fears and let this relationship grow. So, you just have to keep doing this... For them. Because they worth it_ ,Daryl says, looking him in the eyes, trying to make him understand that there isn't a magic potion to erase their bad memories and their fears, but he had to keep going on, in order to make happy the people he cares about.

Jake nods, both for letting him know that he understand what he's saying and silenly thanking him.

Daryl nods back, thinking that he may gudged Jake too soon. Jake is maybe using his humor to cover up his insecurities and he maybe chooses his seclusion to achieve that, but in the end, they both are like two sides of the same coin.

 

THE END!

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse my grammatical errors. English isn't my first language.  
> This is my first attempt of writing a fic, so let me know what you think.


End file.
